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Record (Konishiroku)
The Record (レコード) is a Japanese camera taking unperforated 35mm film, made from about 1926 by Rokuoh-sha, manufacturing branch of Konishiroku (predecessor of Konica). It was the first Japanese camera to use 35mm-wide film. Description The Record is inspired from the Unette by Ernemann, and uses the same type of unperforated 35mm film, spooled with paper backing. The film runs vertically inside the brick-shaped wooden body. The exposure format is 22×32mm, with the largest dimension transversal to the film advance. The camera thus takes horizontal pictures when held in its natural position. The body is hinged along the right-hand rear edge, and it opens in two for film loading, unveiling the spool holders, film rollers and exposure chamber. The film is advanced by a key on the photographer's right, and there is a single unprotected red window in the back. There is a folding frame finder and a holding shackle at the top. Two levers are visible on the right, near the front side; the upper one is used for Instant pictures, and the other is for Time exposures. Function of the two levers: Awano, p.4 of no.256. The lens is a meniscus and has two aperture settings, certainly switched by the sliding button visible above on the front side. Two aperture settings: Awano, p.4 of no.256. This source gives the aperture values as 9 and 15, but this is unconfirmed. The name RECORD CAMERA is embossed in relief in the leather covering, below the lens. Commercial life The Record reportedly appeared in October 1926. Sakai, p.23 of no.10, and chronology from the official company history Shashin to tomo ni hyaku-nen, reproduced in Tanaka, p.94 of no.10. In the May 1927 advertisement in Shashin Geppō, Advertisement reproduced in Awano, p.5 of no.256. An exactly similar advertisement is reproduced here in the R. Konishi Rokuoh-sha website. the camera is presented as "for beginners" and the picture shows a young boy using the Record. The camera is listed for , and the film roll allow for twelve exposures is listed for ¥0.30. The advertisement says that the Record costs one third of the price of a camera using 127 film, presumably an allusion to the Pearlette. It seems that the film can be processed for projection slides, and a film processing device is announced as available soon and listed for ¥2; a dedicated enlarger is also mentioned. The December 1929 advertisement in Shashin Geppō Advertisement reproduced in Awano, p.6 of no.256. shows the Pearlette and the Record side by side; the Record is presented as "enjoyable by young boys and young girls" (少年少女に喜ばれる). The prices of the Record camera and film roll are unchanged. The film processing device is not mentioned, but a Record slide projector, also functioning as an enlarger, is shown and listed for ¥9.50. The Record was replaced by the Sakura box as an inexpensive camera for beginners. Notes Bibliography * Awano Mikio (粟野幹男). "Unetto to rekōdo" (ウネッテとレコード, Unette and Record). In no.256 (October 1998). Nishinomiya: Camera Collectors News-sha. * P.28 (picture only). * P.35. * Sakai Shūichi (酒井修一). "Rekōdo kamera" (レコードカメラ, Record camera). P.23. * Item 4005. * Tanaka Yoshirō (田中芳郎). "Meiji–Taishō jidai no Konishi Honten no kamera wo shiru tame no hon" (明治・大正時代の小西本店のカメラを知るための本, Books about the Konishi Honten cameras of the Meiji and Taishō eras). Pp.92–4. Links In Japanese: * Record in the Camera database of the Center of the History of Japanese Industrial Technology * Pages of the R. Konishi Rokuoh-sha website: ** Advertisement for the Record ** Record in the camera list Category: Japanese 35mm viewfinder Category: Unperforated 35mm film Category: Konica Category: R Category: 1926